Astra Pereira

BA (Health Sciences), 2013

Astra is a Dubai (United Arab Emirates) native who decided upon a double major in Health Sciences (Arts) and Psychology in 2013. Astra pursued co-op for Health Sciences and was placed in Fall 2011 at Burnaby-based Maxxam Analytics Laboratories as a ‘Sample Inspector,’ admitting she was quite surprised to get that position as an Arts student in Health Sciences.

Another co-op placement was at Fraser Health Authority for one year where she was a project assistant for the Medicine Program. Astra clearly remembers her more “high stakes” days when she has presented projects, briefing notes and data to the Vice Presidents and the Executive Directors of Fraser Health Authority. She credits her boss and colleagues as amazing individuals to work alongside with. The trust they placed in her boosted her confidence immensely and she credits her supervisor with providing great guidance and coaching on multi-tasking and moving projects along.

For Astra, co-op gave her a new confidence in her own capacity to accomplish any task, even with tasks she had no previous experience with, or which may have seemed unrelated to her course work. It also put into perspective what her degree entails and what diverse opportunities there are for Health Sciences students.

Now Astra works at Fraser Health Authority as a Systems and Planning Development Analyst alongside the Executive Director in the Lower Mainland of BC where she also plays a role in supervising and mentoring new co-op students.

Brad Mladenovic, Manager Undergraduate Programs & Senior Advisor, Faculty of Health Sciences, ‘Appreciates’ Astra for her dedication to health care and demonstrating how to embrace a co-op placement and maximize the opportunity for both the student and the host organization.